Bacterial ion channel and a method for screening ion channel modulators

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a functionally expressed bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel. The novel channel can be used in conjunction with mammalian ion channel pore-containing regions in assays for screening for compounds that modulate activity of the channel. One bacterial ion channel of the present invention, called NaChBac, is derived from Bacillus halodurans (GenBank#BAB05220 (8)).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a bacterial voltage-sensitive and ion-selective channel, the novel polypeptides of the channel and assays for screening for compounds that modulate activity of the channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Voltage-gated potassium (K_(v)), sodium (Na_(v)), and calcium (Ca_(v)) channels regulate the flow of ions into and out of cells and thereby support specialized higher order cell functions such as excitability, contraction, secretion, and synaptic transmission (1). Hundreds of K,, Na, and Ca,, channel proteins provide the tremendous functional diversity required for the complex behaviors of eukaryotic vertebrate and invertebrate cell-types (2, 3). Ion channels are also widespread in prokaryotes but their gating and function are poorly understood because few have been functionally expressed in a system in which their properties can be studied.

Defects in the ion channels are responsible for a myriad of diseases including Long QT syndrome, which claims lives of about 4,000 children and young adults yearly in the United States alone. Ion channel blockers have been used to treat a number of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, angina, and atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation alone affects over 2.5 million people in the United States, with an estimated 160,000 new cases diagnosed each year, and an estimated annual cost of $1 billion. Thus, ligands or drugs that modulate ion channel activity may be useful in treating these diseases.

The primary structural theme of ion-selective channels is of a pore region surrounded by two transmembrane (2TM) segments. The first high resolution images of a bacterial 2TM tetrameric channel revealed the structural basis of K+ ion selectivity encoded by the signature GY/FG sequence (4). In the primary structure of voltage-sensitive ion channels, an additional four transmembrane segments precede the pore-containing domain. The pore-forming subunits (α₁) of Na_(v) and Ca_(v) are composed of 4 homologous repeats of 6TM domains (3, 5). In theory, gene duplication of the 6TM K, or TRP channels provided the precise structural requirements for highly selective Na⁺and Ca²⁺ channels. In particular, selectivity for Ca²⁺ requires coordination of the Ca²⁺ ions by four negatively charged glutamatic or aspartic acid residues lining the pore. The TRP class of ion channels are presumably tetramers of single 6TM subunits, but only a subset of these channels are moderately Ca²⁺ selective (6).

Eukaryotic ion channels, due to their complexity, have not been successful candidates for screening for compounds that modulate their activity. Therefore, there exists a need for ion channels that can be used in screening for compounds that modulate their activity and therefore used in the search for ligands or drugs to treat various disorders and defects, including central nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular disorders.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

We have discovered the first functionally expressed bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel. The novel channel can be used in conjunction with mammalian ion channel pore-containing regions in assays for screening for compounds that modulate activity of the channel. One bacterial ion channel of the present invention, called NaChBac, is derived from Bacillus halodurans (GenBank #BAB05220 (8)).

We have also discovered that homologous ion channels can be obtained from other organisms including, for example, Bacillus halodurans C-125, Bacillus pseudofirmus 0 F4, Magnetococuis MC-1, Thermobifida fusca (thermonaspora furca) and Paracoccus zeaxawthinifaciens.

The novel protein channels of the present invention are encoded by one 6 transmembrane segment. The pore region of the novel channel is homologous to that of voltage-gated calcium channels (7). The expressed channel is activated by voltage, and is blocked by calcium channel blockers. However, despite the resemblance to Ca_(v) channels, the novel channel is selective for sodium. In accordance with the present invention, the novel Na channel of the invention can be converted to a Ca- selective channel using amino acid substitution in the pore domain (see, Example 2A).

Extremophile Bacillus Halodurans lives in extremely high salt (up to 1M), highly alkaline (up to pH 11) conditions and therefore has a large Na⁺ influx via the open channel. Na⁺ drives the flagellar motor used by alkaphilic Bacillus Halodurans (24-27) and thus NaChBac channel is a good candidate for control of flagellar activity. However, the stimuli provoking depolarization are not known. The presence of NaChBac channel in bacteria allows growing large amounts of protein for structural studies. Structural studies of the protein would shed light on the important questions of Na⁺/Ca⁺selectivity and voltage-dependent activation.

NaChBac is able to form finctional voltage-gated Na⁺selective channels. The ability of NaChBac to form such a channel has several advantages. First, Na⁺selectivity does not require the 4 domain repeat structure present in Na, channels. Proper orientation of the selectivity filter can presumably be made in a homotetramers of NaChBac. Second, the presence of glutamic and aspartic residues in the pore does not ensure Ca²⁺ selectivity. Third, and as can already be concluded from our knowledge of Ca_(v) and Na_(v) sites for dihydropyridine and TTX block, pharmacologic sensitivity need not be correlated with channel selectivity.

It has been determined that that Ca_(v) channels require a flexible environment around the glutamate/aspartate residues to enable the channel filter to bind one Ca²⁺ ion with high affinity or two with lower affinity (22). This flexibility may be provided by the similar but non-identical amino acids surrounding the glutaniate/aspartate in the four repeats in the pore-forming al subunit (23). Since all 4 repeats are presumably identical in a NaChBac tetrarer, this flexibility is lost. Heterotetramers of NaChBac homologs might recreate this flexible environment to comprise Ca²⁺-selective channels, considerably increasing the diversity of this channel class. The simple NaChBac channel thus emphasizes the evolutionary utility of the 6TM building block.

The present invention further includes novel ion channels using the screening assays to select anti-bacterial or probacterial agents.

As used herein, the phrase “ion channel” refers to an entire channel that allows the movement of ions across a membrane, as well as to subunit polypeptide chains that comprise such a channel. Those of skill in the art will recognize that ion channels are made of subunits. As used herein, the term “subunit” refers to any component portion of an ion channel, including but not limited to the alpha subunit and other associated subunits.

The term “synthesized” as used herein and understood in the art, refers to polynucleotides produced by purely chemical, as opposed to enzymatic, methods. “Wholly” synthesized DNA sequences are therefore produced entirely by chemical means, and “partially” synthesized DNAs embrace those wherein only portions of the resulting DNA were produced by chemical means.

By the term “region” is meant a physically contiguous portion of the primary structure of a molecule. In the case of proteins, a region is defined by a contiguous portion of the amino acid sequence of that protein.

The term “domain” is herein defined as referring to a structural part of a molecule that contributes to a known or suspected function of the molecule. Domains may be co-extensive with regions or portions thereof; domains may also incorporate a portion of a molecule that is distinct from a particular region, in addition to all or part of that region. Examples of ion channel domains include, but are not limited to, the extracellular (i.e., N-terminal), transmembrane and cytoplasmic (i.e., C-terminal) domains, which are co-extensive with like-named regions of ion channels; and each of the loop segments (both extracellular and intracellular loops) connecting adjacent transmembrane segments.

As used herein, the term “activity” refers to a variety of measurable indicia suggesting or revealing binding, either direct or indirect; affecting a response, i.e., having a measurable affect in response to some exposure or stimulus, including, for example, the affinity of a compound for directly binding a polypeptide or polynucleotide of the invention. Activity can also be determined by measurement of downstream enzyme activities, and downstream messengers such as K⁺ions, C⁺ions, Na⁺ions, Cl⁻ions, cyclic AMP, and phospholipids after some stimulus or event For example, activity can be determined by measuring ion flux. As used herein, the term “ion flux” includes ion current Activity can also be measured by measuring changes in membrane potential using electrodes or voltage-sensitive dyes, or by measuring neuronal or cellular activity such as action potential duration or frequency, the threshold for stimulating action potentials, long-term potentiation, or long-term inhibition.

As used herein, the term “protein” is intended to include fuill length and partial fragments of a protein. The term “protein” may be used, herein, interchangeably with “polypeptide.” Thus, as used herein, the term “protein” includes polypeptide, peptide, oligopeptide, or amino acid sequence.

As used herein, the term “antibody” is meant to refer to complete, intact antibodies, and fragments thereof. Complete, intact antibodies include monoclonal antibodies such as murine monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, chimeric antibodies, humanized antibodies, and recombinant antibodies identified using phage display.

As used herein, the term “binding” means the physical or chemical interaction between two proteins, compounds or molecules (including nucleic acids, such as DNA or RNA), or combinations thereof. Binding includes ionic, non-ionic, hydrogen bonds, Vander Waals, hydrophobic interactions, etc. The physical interaction, the binding, can be either direct or indirect, indirect being through or due to the effects of another protein, compound or molecule. Direct binding refers to interactions that do not take place through or due to the effect of another protein, compound or molecule, but instead are without other substantial chemical intermediates. Binding may be detected in many different manners. As a non-limiting example, the physical binding interaction between an ion channel of the invention and a compound can be detected using a labeled compound. Alternatively, functional evidence of binding can be detected using, for example, a cell transfected with and expressing an ion channel of the invention. Binding of the transfected cell to a ligand of the ion channel that was transfected into the cell provides functional evidence of binding. Other methods of detecting binding are well known to those of skill in the art.

As used herein, the term “compound” means any identifiable chemical or molecule, including, but not limited to a small molecule, peptide, protein, sugar, nucleotide, or nucleic acid. Such compound can be natural or synthetic.

As used herein, the term “complementary” refers to Watson-Crick base-pairing between nucleotide units of a nucleic acid molecule.

As used herein, the term “contacting” means bringing together, either directly or indirectly, a compound into physical proximity to a polypeptide or polynucleotide of the invention. The polypeptide or polynucleotide can be present in any number of buffers, salts, solutions, etc. Contacting includes, for example, placing the compound into a beaker, microtiter plate, cell culture flask, or a microarray, such as a gene chip, or the like, which contains either the ion channel polypeptide or fragment thereof, or nucleic acid molecule encoding an ion channel or fragment thereof.

As used herein, the phrase “homologous nucleotide sequence,” or “homologous amino acid sequence,” or variations thereof, refers to sequences characterized by a homology, at the nucleotide level or amino acid level, of at least about 50%, more preferably at least about 60%, more preferably at least about 70-80%, more preferably at least about 90%, and most preferably at least about 95% to the entirety of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 5, or to at least a portion of SEQ ID NO: I to SEQ ID NO: 5, which portion encodes a functional domain of the encoded polypeptide. As noted above, homologous nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences can be obtained from at least the following organisms: Bacillus halodurans C-125, Bacillus pseudofirmus 0 F4, Magnetococus MC-1, Thermobifida fusca (thermonaspora furca) and Paracoccus zeaxanthinifaciens.

Homologous amino acid sequences include those amino acid sequences which contain conservative amino acid substitutions, as well as polypeptides having ion channel activity.

A homologous amino acid sequence does not, however, include the sequence of known polypeptides having ion channel activity. Percent homology can be determined by, for example, the Gap program (Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package, Version 8 for Unix, Genetics Computer Group, University Research Park, Madison Wis.), which uses the algorithm of Smith and Waterman (Adv. Appl. Math., 1981, 2:482489, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) using the default settings.

As used herein, the term “isolated” nucleic acid molecule refers to a nucleic acid molecule (DNA or RNA) that has been removed from its native environment. Examples of isolated nucleic acid molecules include, but are not limited to, recombinant DNA molecules contained in a vector, recombinant DNA molecules maintained in a heterologous host cell, partially or substantially purified nucleic acid molecules, and synthetic DNA or RNA molecules.

As used herein, the terms “modulates” or “modifies” means an increase or decrease in the amount, quality, or effect of a particular activity or protein.

The term “preventing” refers to decreasing the probability that an organisrn contracts or develops an abnormal condition.

The term “abnormal condition” refers to a finction in the cells or tissues of an organism that deviates from their normal functions in that organism. An abnormal condition can relate to cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell signaling, or cell survival. Abnormal cell proliferative conditions include cancers such as fibrotic and mesangial disorders, abnormal angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, wound healing, psoriasis, diabetes mellitus, and inflammation. Abnormal differentiation conditions include, but are not limited to, neurodegenerative disorders, slow wound healing rates, and slow tissue grafting healing rates. Abnormal cell signaling conditions include, but are not limited to, psychiatric disorders involving excess neurotransmitter activity. Abnormal cell survival conditions may also relate to conditions in which programmed cell death (apoptosis) pathways are activated or abrogated. A number of protein kinases are associated with the apoptosis pathways. Aberrations in the fimction of any one of the protein kinases could lead to cell immortality or premature cell death.

By “amplification” it is meant increased numbers of DNA or RNA in a cell compared with normal cells. “Amplification” as it refers to RNA can be the detectable presence of RNA in cells, since in some normal cells there is no basal expression of RNA. In other normal cells, a basal level of expression exists, therefore, in these cases amplification is the detection of at least 1 to 2-fold, and preferably more, compared to the basal level.

As used herein, the term “oligonucleotide” refers to a series of linked nucleotide residues which has a sufficient number of bases to be used in a polymerase chain reaction(PCR). This short sequence is based on (or designed from) a genomic or cDNA sequence and is used to amplify, confirm, or reveal the presence of an identical, similar or complementary DNA or RNA in a particular cell or tissue. Oligonucleotides comprise portions of a nucleic acid sequence having at least about 10 nucleotides and as many as about 50 nucleotides, preferably about 15 to 30 nucleotides. They are chemically synthesized and may be used as probes.

As used herein, the term “probe” refers to nucleic acid sequences of variable length, preferably between at least about 10 and as many as about 6,000 nucleotides, depending on use. They are used in the detection of identical, similar, or complementary nucleic acid sequences. Longer length probes are usually obtained from a natural or recombinant source, are highly specific and much slower to hybridize than oligomers. They may be single- or double-stranded and are carefully designed to have specificity in PCR, hybridization membrane-based, or ELISA-like technologies.

As used herein, the phrase “stringent hybridization conditions” or “stringent conditions” refers to conditions under which a probe, primer, or oligonucleotide will hybridize to its target sequence, but to a minimal number of other sequences. Stringent conditions are sequence-dependent and will be different in different circumstances. Longer sequences will hybridize with specificity to their proper complements at higher temperatures. Generally, stringent conditions are selected to be about 5° C. lower than the thermal melting point (Tm) for the specific sequence at a defined ionic strength and pH. The Tm is the temperature (under defined ionic strength, pH and nucleic acid concentration) at which 50% of the probes complementary to the target sequence hybridize to the target sequence at equilibrium. Since the target sequences are generally present in excess, at Tm, 50% of the probes are hybridized to their complements at equilibrium.

Typically, stringent conditions will be those in which the salt concentration is less than about 1.0 M sodium ion, typically about 0.01 to 1.0 M sodium ion (or other salts) at pH 7.0 to 8.3 and the temperature is at least about 30° C. for short probes, primers or oligonucleotides (e.g., 10 to 50 nucleotides) and at least about 60° C. for longer probes, primers or oligonucleotides. Stringent conditions may also be achieved with the addition of destabilizing agents, such as formamide.

The amino acid sequences are presented in the amino (N) to carboxy (C) direction, from left to right. The N-terminal a-amino group and the C-terminal P-carboxy groups are not depicted in the sequence. The nucleotide sequences are presented by single strands only, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, from left to right Nucleotides and amino acids are represented in the manner recommended by the IUPAC Biochemical Nomenclature Commission.

The present invention, in one aspect, provides a purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel containing a 6 transmembrane domain. The invention further provides a purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a homologous sequence, or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore. The ion-channel pore has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, or a homologous sequence, or a fragment thereof.

The term “fragment” when referring to the NaChBac channel protein means proteins or polypeptides which retain essentially the same biological function or activity as the protein of SEQ ID NO:1 and more specifically, as the pore region of SEQ ID NO:2 -5. For example, the NaChBac channel fragments of the present invention maintain at least about 50% of the activity of the protein of SEQ ID NO:l, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least about 95% of the activity of the protein of SEQ ID NO:1, as determined e.g., by a standard activity assay such as the clamp assay or inside-out-patch disclosed in Example 1 which follows and includes measuring activity of the channel τ_(act)=10±3.5 ms and τ_(inact)=203±43 ms.

A channel fragment of the invention may be (i) a peptide in which one or more of the amino acid residues are substituted with a conserved or non-conserved amino acid residue (preferably a conserved amino acid residue) and such substituted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code, or (ii) a peptide in which one or more of the amino acid residues includes a substituent group, or (iii) a peptide in which the protein is fused with another compound, such as a compound to increase the half-life of the polypeptide (for example, polyethylene glycol). Thus, a channel fragment can include a proprotein which can be activated by cleavage of the proprotein portion to produce an active polypeptide.

The protein fragments of the invention are of a sufficient length to uniquely identify a region of the channel pore. Preferred channel pore fragments of the invention include those that have at least about 50 % homology (sequence identity) to the protein of SEQ ID NO:2, more preferably at least about 60 % or more homology, more preferably at least about 70-80 % or more homology to the protein of SEQ ID NO:2, still more preferably at least about 80-90 % or more homology to the protein of SEQ ID NO:2.

The channel of the present invention and fragments thereof are “isolated”, meaning the protein or peptide constitutes at least about 70%, preferably at least about 85%, more preferably at least about 90% and still more preferably at least about 95% by weight of the total protein in a given sample. The channel fragments may be present in a free state or bound to other components, e.g. blocking groups to chemically insulate reactive groups (e.g. amines, carboxyls, etc.) of the peptide, or fusion peptides or polypeptides (i.e. the peptide may be present as a portion of a larger polypeptide).

The channel of the present invention has a number of functional domains, e.g., 6 transmembrane domains (as illustrated in FIG. 1A) S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6 and a pore domain region. Accordingly, preferred channel fragments are the pore region (SEQ ID NO: 2), a segment containing the pore region and S6 domain (SEQ ID NO: 3), the pore region and S5 domain (SEQ ID NO: 4), and a segment containing the pore region, S5 and S6 domains (SEQ ID NO: 5).

Thus, a NaChBac protein or nucleic acid fragment can be employed that contains only specific domains and can be used to screen for compounds that modulate the channel activity in targeted cells as desired or to screen for compounds that have anti-bacterial or probacterial activity.

In another aspect, the invention additionally provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel containing a 6 transmembrane domain. According to the present invention, the channel nucleotide sequences disclosed herein may be used to identify homologs of the channel in other species, including but not limited to humans, mammals, and invertebrates. Any of the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein, or any portion thereof, can be used, for example, as probes to screen databases or nucleic acid libraries, such as, for example, genomic or cDNA libraries, to identify homologs, using screening procedures well known to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, homologs having at least 50%, more preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, more preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95%, and most preferably at least 100% homology with the channel sequences can be identified. The disclosure herein of polynucleotides encoding channel polypeptides makes readily available to one of ordinary skill in the art many possible fragments of the ion channel polynucleotide. Polynucleotide sequences provided herein may encode, as non-limiting examples, a native channel, a constitutive active channel, or a dominant-negative channel.

With the knowledge of the nucleotide sequence information disclosed in the present invention, one skilled in the art can identify and obtain nucleotide sequences which encode the channel from different sources (i.e., different tissues or different organisms) through a variety of means well known to the skilled artisan and as disclosed by, for example, Sambrook et al., Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, 3^(rd) ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press, NY (2000), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, as noted above, the inventors have discovered homologs in, for example, the following organisms: Bacillus halodurans C-125, Bacillus pseudofirmus 0 F4, Magnetococus MC-1, Thermobifida fusca (thermotaspora furca) and Paracoccus zeaxanthinifaciens.

A nucleic acid molecule comprising any of the channel nucleotide sequences described above can alternatively be synthesized by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure, with the PCR oligonucleotide primers produced from the nucleotide sequences provided herein. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202. The PCR reaction provides a method for selectively increasing the concentration of a particular nucleic acid sequence even when that sequence has not been previously purified and is present only in a single copy in a particular sample. The method can be used to amplify either single- or double-stranded DNA. The essence of the method involves the use of two oligonucleotide probes to serve as primers for the template-dependent, polymerase mediated replication of a desired nucleic acid molecule.

A wide variety of alternative cloning and in vitro amplification methodologies are well known to those skilled in the art. Examples of these techniques are found in, for example, Berger et al., Guide to Molecular Cloning Techniques, Methods in Enzynology 152, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif. (Berger), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Automated sequencing methods can be used to obtain or verify the nucleotide sequence of the channel. Nucleotide sequences determined by automauon may contain some errors and are typically at least about 90%, more typically at least about 95% to at least about 99.9% identical to the actual nucleotide sequence of a given nucleic acid molecule.

The invention also provides a fusion protein comprising the bacterial ion-channel, which ion channel preferably has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, or a homolog, or a fragment thereof and a mammalian ion-channel pore-containing region. The fusion protein is expressed on the outer surface of a host cell such that the host cells displays the ion channel protein on its surface. The invention further contemplates an isolated nucleic acid encoding the fusion protein.

The present invention also provides host cells transformed with the nucleic acid encoding a purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel containing a 6 transmembrane domain or a fuision protein. Thus, host cells, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, comprising a polynucleotide of the invention in a manner that permits expression of the encoded channel polypeptide are provided. Polynucleotides of the invention may be introduced into the host cell, as part of a circular plasmid, or as linear DNA comprising an isolated protein coding region or a viral vector.

Methods for introducing DNA into the host cell that are well known and routinely practiced in the art include transformation, transfection, electroporation, nuclear injection, or fusion with carriers such as liposomes, micelles, ghost cells, and protoplasts. Expression systems of the invention include bacterial, yeast, fingal, plant, insect, invertebrate, vertebrate, and mammalian cells systems.

The invention provides host cells that are transformed or trnnsfected (stably or transiently) with the fusion protein comprising the ion-channel of the invention and a mammalian ion-channel pore-containing region or with ion-channel alone. Such host cells are useful for ampliing the polynucleotides-and also for expressing the channel polypeptide or fragment thereof encoded by the polynucleotide. In still another related embodiment, the invention provides a method for producing a channel polypeptide (or fragment thereof) comprising the steps of growing a host cell of the invention in a nutrient medium and isolating the polypeptide or variant thereof from the cell or the medium. Because the channel is a membrane spanning channel, it will be appreciated that, for some applications, such as certain activity assays, the preferable isolation may involve isolation of cell membranes containing the polypeptide embedded therein, whereas for other applications a more complete isolation may be preferable.

The invention also provides a system for screening ion-channel agonists or antagonists. The system includes a host cell comprising a nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein having a purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, a homolog, or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore and a mammalian ion channel pore-containing region.

The present invention also provides a method of identifying a modulator of biological activity of an ion channel. The bacterial ion channel of the present invention is used for the high level expression of mammalian ion-channel pore domains in mammalian or bacterial cells. The expressed mammalian ion channel pore domains screened for activation or blockage by test compounds. The bacterial channel protein of the present invention represents a minimal length structure that is highly expressed in mammalian cells. The apparent lack of its interaction with other proteins is an advantage in that complications arising from multimeric protein formation are avoided. Regions of known mammalian channel domains can be inserted into this minimal structure and tested as targets for peptides or small molecules. Thus, the method of identifing a modulator involves expressing in a host cell a fusion protein comprising a mammalian ion-channel pore-containing region and a bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, a homolog, or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore; contacting the host cell with a candidate modulator; and measuring the effect of the modulator on the ion-channel activity. Preferably, the pore region of SEQ ID NO: 1 is substituted with a mammalian ion-channel pore-containing region. The ion channel activity can be measured by various assays including high throughput screening assays, electrophysiological assays (e.g., patch clamp and patch clamp arrays), fluorescence changes (e.g., voltage-sensitive dyes and calcium-sensitive dyes), contractile behavior, secretion, and various binding assays (e.g., ion flux assay, a membrane potential assay, a yeast growth assay, a cAMP assay, an inositol triphosphate assay, a diacylglycerol assay, an Aequorin assay, a Luciferase assay, a FLIPR assay for intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, a mitogenesis assay, a MAP Kinase activity assay, an arachidonic acid release assay, and an assay for extracellular acidification rates, etc.). The modulator can be an antagonist or an agonist. The invention further contemplates a modulator discovered by screening candidate modulators using the above method.

Compounds that stimulate the channel's activity are useful as agonists in disease states or conditions characterized by insufficient channel signaling (e.g., as a result of insufficient activity of the channel ligand). The modulators that block ligand-mediated channel signaling are useful as the channel antagonists to treat disease states or conditions characterized by excessive channel signaling. In addition channel modulators in general, as well as channel polynucleotides and polypeptides, are useful in diagnostic assays for such diseases or conditions.

Agents that modulate (i.e., increase, decrease, or block) channel activity or expression may be identified by incubating a putative modulator with a cell containing a channel polypeptide or polynucleotide and determining the effect of the putative modulator on the channel activity or expression. The selectivity of a compound that modulates the activity of the channel can be evaluated by comparing its effects on the channel to its effect on other ion channel compounds. Selective modulators may include, for example, antibodies and other proteins, peptides, or organic molecules that specifically bind to the ion channel polypeptide or anion-channel encoding nucleic acid. Modulators of the channel activity will be therapeutically useful in treatment of diseases and physiological conditions in which normal or aberrant ion-channel activity is involved. Compounds identified as modulating channel activity may be further tested in other assays including, but not limited to, in vivo models, in order to confirn or quantitate their activity. The channel polynucleotides and polypeptides, as well as the channel modulators, may also be used in diagnostic assays for numerous diseases or conditions, including metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, hormonal disorders, and various neurological disorders.

The invention also comprehends high-throughput screening (HTS) assays to identify compounds that interact with or inhibit biological activity (i.e., affect enzymatic activity, binding activity, etc.) of the channel polypeptide. HTS assays permit screening of large numbers of compounds in an efficient manner. Cell-based HTS systems are contemplated to investigate the channel's receptor-ligand interaction. HTS assays are designed to identify “hits” or “lead compounds” having the desired property, from which modifications can be designed to improve the desired property. Chemical modification of the “hit” or “lead compound” is often based on an identifiable structure/activity relationship between the “hit” and the channel polypeptide.

One of skill in the art can, for example, measure the activity of the ion channel polypeptide using electrophysiological methods, described infra. Where the activity of the sample containing the test compound is higher than the activity in the sample lacking the test compound, the compound will have increased activity. Similarly, where the activity of the sample containing the test compound is lower than the activity in the sample lacling the test compound, the compound will have inhibited activity.

The activity of the polypeptides of the invention can also be determined by, as non-limiting examples, the ability to bind or be activated by certain ligands, including, but not limited to, known neurotransmitters, agonists and antagonists, including but not limited to serotonin, acetylcholine, nicotine, and GABA. Alternatively, the activity of the ion channel can be assayed by examining activity such as ability to bind or be affected by sodium and calcium ions, hormones, chemokines, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, nucleotides, lipids, odorants, and photons. In various embodiments of the method, the assay may take the form of an ion flux assay, a membrane potential assay, a yeast growth assay, a cAMP assay, an inositol triphosphate assay, a diacylglycerol assay, an Aequorin assay, a Luciferase assay, a FLIPR assay for intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, a mitogenesis assay, a MAP Kinase activity assay, an arachidonic acid release assay (e.g., using [³H]-arachidonic acid), and an assay for extracellular acidification rates, as well as other binding or function-based assays of activity that are generally known in the art.

Another potentially useful assay to examine the activity of ion channels is electrophysiology (e.g., patch clamp, patch clamp arrays, or contractile behavior), the measurement of ion permeability across the cell membrane. This technique is described in, for example, Electrophysiology, A Practical Approach, D. I. Wallis editor, IRL Press at Oxford University Press, (1993), and Voltage and Patch Clamping with Microelectrodes, Smith et aL, eds., Waverly Press, Inc for the American Physiology Society (1985), each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Another assay to examine the activity of ion channels is through the use of the FLIPR Fluorometric Imaging Plate Reader system, developed by Dr. Vince Groppi of the Pharmacia Corporation to perform cell-based, high-throughput screening (HTS) assays measuring, for example, membrane potential. Changes in plasma membrane potential correlate with the modulation of ion channels as ions move into or out of the cell. The FLIPR system measures such changes in membrane potential. This is accomplished by loading cells expressing an ion channel gene with a cell-membrane permeant fluorescent indicator dye suitable for measuring changes in membrane potential such as diBAC (bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) pentamethine oxonol, Molecular Probes). Thus the modulation of ion channel activity can be assessed with FLIPR and detected as changes in the emission spectrum of the diBAC dye.

The present invention is particularly useful for screening compounds by using the channel in any of a variety of drug screening techniques. The compounds to be screened include (which may include compounds which are suspected to modulate the channel activity), but are not limited to, extracellular, intracellular, biologic or chemical origin. The channel polypeptide employed in such a test may be in any form, preferably, free in solution, attached to a solid support, borne on a cell surface or located intracellularly. One skilled in the art can, for example, measure the formation of complexes between ion-x and the compound being tested. Altematively, one skilled in the art can examine the diminution in complex formation between the channel and its substrate caused by the compound being tested.

The activity of the channel polypeptides of the invention can be determined by, for example, examining the ability to bind or be activated by chemically synthesized peptide ligands. Alternatively, the activity of the channel polypeptides can be assayed by examining their ability to bind calcium ions, hormones, chemokines, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, nucleotides, lipids, odorants, and photons. Alternatively, the activity of the channel polypeptides can be determined by examining the activity of effector molecules including, but not limited to, adenylate cyclase, phospholipases and ion channels. Thus, modulators of the channel polypeptide activity may alter ion channel function, such as a binding property of a channel or an activity such as ion selectivity. The channel activity can be determined by methodologies that are used to assay for FaRP activity, which is well known to those skilled in the art. Biological activities of ion-x receptors according to the invention include, but are not limited to, the binding of a natural or an unnatural ligand, as well as any one of the functional activities of ion channels known in the art.

The modulators of the invention exhibit a variety of chemical structures, which can be generally grouped into non-peptide mimetics of natural ion channel ligands, peptide and non-peptide allosteric effectors of ion channels, and peptides that may function as activators or inhibitors (competitive, uncompetitive and non-competitive) (e.g., antibody products) of ion channels. The invention does not restrict the sources for suitable modulators, which may be obtained from natural sources such as plant, animal or mineral extracts, or non-natural sources such as small molecule libraries, including the products of combinatorial chemical approaches to library construction, and peptide libraries.

Examples of organic modulators of ion channels are GAIBA, serotonin, acetylcholine, nicotine, glutamate, glycine, NMDA, and kainic acid.

Other assays can be used to examine enzymatic activity including, but not limited to, photometric, radiometric, HPLC, electrochemical, and the like, which are described in, for example, Enzyme Assays: A Practical Approach, eds., R. Eisenthal and M. J. Danson, 1992, Oxford University Press, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

A variety of heterologous systems are available for functional expression of recombinant receptors that are well known to those skilled in the art. Such systems include bacteria (Strosberg, et al., Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 1992,13, 95-98),yeast (Pausch, Trends in Biotechnology, 1997, 15,487-494), several kinds of insect cells (Vanden Broeck, Int. Rev. Cytology, 1996, 164, 189-268), amphibian cells (Jayawickremeet al., Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 1997, 8, 629-634) and several mammalian cell lines (CHO, HEK-293, COS, etc.; see Gerhardt, et al., Eur. J Pharmacology, 1997, 334,1-23). These examples do not preclude the use of other possible cell expression systems, including cell lines obtained from nematodes (PCT application WO 98/37177).

In preferred embodiments of the invention, methods of screening for compounds that modulate the channel activity comprise contacting test compounds with the channel and assaying for the presence of a complex between the compound and an ion. In such assays, the ligand is typically labeled. After suitable incubation, free ligand is separated from that present in bound form, and the amount of free or uncomplexed label is a measure of the ability of the particular compound to bind to ion-x. Examples of such biological responses include, but are not limited to, the following: the ability to survive in the absence of a limiting nutrient in specifically engineered yeast cells (Pausch, Trends in Biotechnology, 1997, 15, 487-494); changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration as measured by fluorescent dyes (Murphy, et al., Cur. Opinion Drug Disc. Dev., 1998, 1, 192-199). Fluorescence changes can also be used to monitor ligand-induced changes in membrane potential or intracellular pH; an automated system suitable for HTS has been described for these purposes (Schroeder, et al., J. Biomolecular Screening, 1996,1, 75-80). Melanophores prepared from Xenopus laevis how a ligand-dependent change in pigment organization in response to heterologous ion channel activation; this response is adaptable to HTS formats (Jayawickreme et al., Cur. Opinion Biotechnology, 1997, 8, 629-634). Assays are also available for the measurement of common second messengers, including cAMP, phosphoinositides and arachidonic acid, but these are not generally preferred for HTS.

In another embodiment of the invention, the bacterial ion channel is used in assays to select compounds that have antibacterial or probacterial activity. For example, a method of identifying a modulator of biological activity of a bacterial ion channel, said method comprising the steps of:

a) expressing in a host cell a bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a homolog thereof, or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore;

b) contacting said host cell with a candidate modulator; and

c) measuring the effect of the modulator on the ion-channel activity.

Candidate modulators contemplated by the invention include compounds selected from libraries of either potential activators or potential inhibitors. There are a number of different libraries used for the identification of small molecule modulators, including: (1) chemical libraries, (2) natural product libraries, and (3) combinatorial libraries comprised of random peptides, oligonucleotides or organic molecules.

Chemical libraries consist of random chemical structures, some of which are analogs of known compounds or analogs of compounds that have been identified as “hits” or “leads” in other drug discovery screens, some of which are derived from natural products, and some of which arise from non-directed synthetic organic chemistry.

Natural product libraries are collections of microorganisms, animals, plants, or marine organisms that are used to create mixtures for screening by: (1) fermentation and extraction of broths from soil, plant or marine microorganisms or (2) extraction of plants or marine organisms. Natural product libraries include polyketides, non-ribosomal peptides, and variants (non-naturally occurring) thereof. For a review, see Science 282:63-68 (1998).

Combinatorial libraries are composed of large numbers of peptides, oligonucleotides, or organic compounds as a mixture. These libraries are relatively easy to prepare by traditional automated synthesis methods, PCR, cloning, or proprietary synthetic methods. Of particular interest are -non-peptide combinatorial libraries. Still other libraries of interest include peptide, protein, peptidomirnietic, multiparallel synthetic collection, recombinatorial, polypeptide, antibody, and RNAi libraries. For a review of combinatorial chemistry and libraries created therefrom, see Myers, Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 8:701-707 (1997). Identification of modulators through use of the various libraries described herein permits modification of the candidate “hit” (or “lead”) to optimize the capacity of the “hit” to modulate activity.

The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a modulator obtained using the present invention. Preferred compositions comprise, in addition to the modulator, a pharmaceutically acceptable (i.e., sterile and non-toxic) liquid, semisolid, or solid diluent that serves as a pharmaceutical vehicle, excipient, or medium. Any diluent known in the art may be used. Exemplary diluents include, but are not limited to, water, saline solutions, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, magnesium stearate, methyl- and propylhydroxybenzoate, talc, alginates, starches, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, sorbitol, mannitol, glycerol, calcium phosphate, mineral oil, and cocoa butter. Suitable carriers or diluents are described in the most recent edition of Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 16^(th) ed., Osol, A. (ed.), 1980, a standard reference text in this field, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Preferred examples of such carriers or diluents include, but are not limited to, water, saline, Ringer's solution, dextrose solution, and 5% human serum albumin. Liposomes and nonaqueous vehicles such as fixed oils may also be used. The formulations are sterilized by commonly used techniques.

The compositions, or pharmaceutical compositions, comprising the nucleic acid molecules, vectors, polypeptides, antibodies and compounds identified by the screening methods described herein, can be prepared for any route of administration including, but not limited to, oral, intravenous, cutaneous, subcutaneous, nasal, intramuscular or intraperitoneal. The nature of the carrier or other ingredients will depend on the specific route of administration and particular embodiment of the invention to be administered. Examples of techniques and protocols that are useful in this context are, inter alia, found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 16^(th) ed., Osol, A. (ed.), 1980, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The dosage of these compounds will depend on the disease state or condition to be treated and other clinical factors such as weight and condition of the human or animal and the route of administration of the compound. For treating human or animals, between approximately 0.5 mg/kg of body weight to 500 mg/kg of body weight of the compound can be adninistered. Therapy is typically administered at lower dosages and is continued until the desired therapeutic outcome is observed.

Additionally, the bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel of the present invention can as a backbone for delivery of ion channels of various kinds to tissues. For example, a vector can be used to deliver and overexpress a K channel in a region of epilpsy in brain, or to control insulin secretion from pancreas, to stabilize or prevent cardiac arrhythmias, or to prevent chronic pain by targeting to pain fibers of spinal cord. This could of course be done with a K channel, but the present invention, given its minimal structure, provides an advantage. In an additional embodiments, residues could be engineered into the bacterial ion channel, e.g., NaChBac, so that it was activated by a unique ligand (a unique small molecule that one could take as a drug, thus activating only the designer channel.).

The term “vector” as used herein in the context of biological gene therapy means a carrier that can contain or associate with specific polynucleotide sequences and which functions to transport the specific polynucleotide sequences into a cell. The transfected cells may be cells derived from the patient's normal tissue, the patient's diseased tissue, or may be non-patient cells. Examples of vectors include plasmids and infective microorganisms such as viruses, or non-viral vectors such as the ligand-DNA conjugates, liposomes, and lipid-DNA complexes discussed above.

Viral vector systems which may be utilized in the present invention include, but are not limited to, (a) adenovirus vectors; (b) retrovirus vectors; (c) adeno-associated virus vectors; (d) herpes simplex virus vectors; (e) SV 40 vectors; (f) polyoma virus vectors; (g) papilloma virus vectors; (h) picornavirus vectors; (i) vaccinia virus vectors; and 0) a helper-dependent or gutless adenovirus. In the preferred embodiment the vector is an adenovirus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages, and principles of the invention. In the drawings, FIG. 1A-1D depict the primary structure and characteristics of NaChBac. FIG. 1A is a deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) of NaChBa The putative 6 trasmembrane domains (S1-S6) andthe pore region are indicated. The positively charged residences in the S4 region are indicated in bold. FIG. 1B shows control in lane 1 and an inducible His-tagged NaChBac protein expressed in bacteria and detected by Western Blot with anti-His antibody in lane 2. FIG. 1C is a hydropathy plot of NaChBac 6 transmembrane domains (1-6) and a pore region (P). FIG. 1D illustrates alignment of the Putative pore region of NaChBac with that of CatSper and the four domains (I, II, III, IV) from representative voltage-gated Ca²⁺ (Ca_(v)1-3) and Na⁺(Na_(v)1.1, Na_(v)1.8) channels. GenBank accession numbers for sequences used in the alignment are AF407332 (CatSper), X15539 (Ca_(v)1-2), M94172 (Ca_(v)2.2), 054898 (Ca_(v)3-1). X03638(Na_(v)1-1) and X92184 (Na_(v)1-8).

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate activation and inactivation of NaChBac expressed in CHOK1 cells. Upper row is that of voltage -clamp protocols. Middle row is that of representative traces. Lower row is that of averaged peae: current voltage (I/V) relation. FIG. 2A shows I_(NaChBac) (upper) and an averaged peak current-voltage (I/V) relation (lower). Currents were normalized to cell capacitance (9.0±0.3 pF; n=18). FIG. 2B shows an I_(NaChBc) activation and steady-state inactivation currents (upper), and normalized activation curve (n=21; ±SEM) and steady-state inactivation curve (n=19; ±SEM) (lower). FIG. 2C shows recovery from inactivation. The time interval between the test pulse (−10 mV, 4000 ms) and the inactivation pulse (−10 mV, 4000 ms) were varied from 250 ms to 16s. The ratio between currents elicited by the two pulses were used to construct the recovery curve (n=20; ±SEM). The half-time for recovery was 600 ms. FIG. 2D illustrates I_(NaChBac) single channels and ensemble average.

FIGS. 3A-3F show I_(NaCBac) that is Na⁺-selective. Current traces in FIGS. 3A-3C were elicited by a test pulse to −10 mV, V_(H)=100 mV. FIG. 3A shows I_(NaChBaC) to be impermeant to Cl⁻as shown by cation substitution with N-methyl-D-glutamine (NMDG). FIG. 3B shows I_(NaChBac) to be poorly permeable to Ca²⁺. Peak current is isotonic [Ca²⁺]_(o) was 87 pA (7.6±0.9 pA/pF, n=8) compared to 1430 pA (135.9±11 pA/pF, n=8) in 140 mM [Na⁺]_(o /)1 mM[Ca²⁺]_(o). FIG. 3C illustrates I_(NaChBac) conductances at various [Na⁺]_(o). FIG. 3D illustrates mean current density plotted as function of test potential in the presence of 20, 50 and 140 mM [Na⁺]_(o) (n=8; ±SEM). FIG. 3E illustrates tail currents recorded at various test potentials following depolarizing to 0 mV. I_(NaChBac) tail current amplitudes plotted as a function of test potential were used to determine reversal potentials (inset). FIG. 3F shows E_(rev) as a function of [Na⁺]_(o). The E_(rev)/[Na⁺]_(o) relation was best fit by a line with slope of 57.8 mV/decade (error bars smaller than symbols).

FIGS. 4A-G illustrate sensitivity of I_(NaChBac) to Ca_(v) and Na_(v) channel blockers. FIG. 4A shows representative traces before (control) and after the addition of 100 μM Cd²⁺. FIG. 4B shows I_(NaChBac) dose response curves to Cd₂₊ and Ni²⁺. FIG. 4C shows I_(NaChBac) that is reversibly blocked by nifedipine. FIG. 4D shows dose response curves where I_(NaChBac) is sensitive to the dihydropyridine class (nifedipine and nimodipine) of L-type Ca_(v) channel blockers. I_(NaChBac) is relatively insensitive to the T-type Ca_(v) channel blocker mibefradil. FIG. 4E shows that I_(NaChBac) is insensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX). FIG. 4F is a summary of I_(NaChBac) inhibition by various Ca_(v)-blocking agents. FIG. 4G is a sumrnmary of concentration of agent needed to block I_(NaChBac) by 50% (IC50) as measured from dose response curves.

FIGS. 5A-C illustrates the structure of NaChBac and alignment of amino acid sequences of the P loops of Ca_(v) and NaChBac. FIG. 5A shows the alignment of the putative pore region of NaChBac with that of the four domains (I-IV) of Ca_(v)1.2 channel. The numbers correspond to residues in the P loop of Ca_(v)1.2 domain I. Residues in the EEEE selectivity filter motif are boxed. Residues in red refer to relevant mutation sites. FIG. 5B shows that NaChBac contains 274 amino acid residues, here color-coded according to their properties. FIG. 5C shows the alignment of the putative pore region of NaChBac and NaChBac mutants.

FIGS. 6A-C illustrate voltage- and time-dependence of wt NaChBac and NaChBac mutants. FIG. 6A shows the representative currents recorded in 10 mM Ca²⁺/140 Na⁺modified Tyrode's solution (left) from NaChBac and mutant NaChBac with residues 190-196 as indicated. Voltage was stepped from V_(H)=100 mV to +100 mV in 10 mV increments at 15 s intervals. FIG. 6B shows the averaged I-V curves derived from currents recorded as in FIG. 6A of NaChBac and mutant NaChBac (n=8-12 cells each). FIG. 6C shows the activation (upper; V_(H)=100 mV) and steady state inactivation (lower; V_(H)=100 mV, prepulse to 0 mV for 2 s) curves of NaChBac and mutant NaChBac (n=7-12 cells each).

FIGS. 7A-D illustrate relative current amplitudes, current densities, and permeabilities of wt NaChBac and mutant NaChBac. FIG. 7A shows the original traces elicited by depolarizing from −100 mV to 0 mV in 10 mM Ca²⁺/140 Na⁺ solution (black) and in isotonic Ca²⁺ (105 mM) solution (red). FIG. 7B shows the averaged peak current densities of wt NaChBac and mutant NaChBac (n=8). FIG. 7C shows that the current amplitudes were normalized to the current amplitude in 10 mM Ca²⁺/140 Na⁺ solution (n=8). FIG. 7D shows the relative permeabilities (P-c_(a)P_(N) _(a)) of wt NaChBac and mutant NaChBac.

FIGS. 8A-B illustrate currents of the Ca²⁺-selective CaChBac_(m) (LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7)) mutant compared to wt NaChBac (LESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 6)). FIG. 8A shows that the current amplitude of the LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) mutant recorded in 10 mM Ca²⁺/140 M Na⁺ solution was not significantly different from that recorded in 10 mM Ca²⁺ mM/140 NMDG solution. FIG. 8B shows that the current amplitude of the wt NaChBac (LESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 6)) was virtually eliminated by replacing 140 mM [Na]_(o) by 140 mM [NMDG].

FIGS. 9A-D illustrate that CaChBac. (LDDWAD mutant (SEQ ID NO: 7)) is a Ca²⁺ selective channel. FIG. 9A shows the CaChBac. (LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7)) currents in various [Ca²⁺]_(o) (substituted by Na⁺to maintain isotonicity) elicited by depolarization from −100 to 0 mV. FIG. 9B shows the normalized current amplitude of the LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) mutant plotted as a function of [Ca²⁺]_(o) with Na⁺ substitution (±SEM, n=6). FIG. 9C shows the averaged current density-voltage relations of LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) in external solutions containing 1 mM, 10 mM and 105 mM Ca²⁺ (±SEM, n=6). FIG. 9D shows the reversal potentials (E_(rev)) of the LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) mutant plotted as a function of log [Ca²⁺]_(o) (Na⁺ substitution; ±SEM, n=6). The slope was fitted by linear regression analysis slope (25.6 mV per decade), close to slope predicted by the Nernst equation at 22° C. (29 mV).

FIG. 10A-B illustrate that the NaChBac LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant is sensitive to Ca²⁺ blockade. FIG. 10A shows the currents recorded at 0 mV in varying [Ca²⁺]_(o) with Na⁺ substitution. FIG. 10B shows the averaged I-V relations of the LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant in 10 μM, 1 mM, 10 mM and 105 mM [Ca²⁺]_(o) (±SEM, n=6). Note that the current density, but not E_(rev), changed with increasing [Ca²⁺]_(o) .

The invention will be further characterized by the following examples which are intended to be exemplary of the invention.

EXAMPLE 1

Isolation and Sequencing

NaChBac was cloned from Bacillus Halodurans C-125 DNA by PCR using Pfu polymerase and primers designed according to the deposited sequence (GenBank # BAB0522)). The deduced sequence is identical to the deposited sequence except for 2 differences: Nucleotide 33 (T in our line vs. C in the deposited sequence; no change in amino acid); Nucleotide 818 (T vs. C; L to S Amrino acid change). There is a large deletion (>1 kb) in the deposited sequence immediately after the ORF. Multiple clones from different amplification reactions were sequenced to verify our cDNA. The possible errors in the deposited C-125 sequence probably resulted from the shotgun method of sequence assembly.

Isolation and sequencing of the gene NaChBac revealed an open reading frame of 274 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 31 kDa and a pI of 9.35 (FIG. 1A). When expressed in bacteria, NaChBac migrated at ˜34 kDa (FIG. 1B). Hydrophobicity analysis was consistent with a 6TM domain primary structure (FIG. 1C). NaChBac contains an S4 segment with positively charged amino acids (K/R) interspersed every third residue (FIG. 1A), characteristic to voltage-gated ion channels. A BLAST search against the database revealed that the function proteins with the closest similarity to NaChBac are Ca_(v) channels (see also (7)). In contrast to Ca_(v) channels that have 4 negatively charged amino acids in the pore, Na_(v) channels have glutamate/aspartate residues in domains I and II, but lysine and alanine in domains III and IV (FIG. 1C). Replacing the lysine/alanine in domains III and IV of Na_(v) with glutamatic acid conferred Ca²⁺ channel properties onto the Na_(v) channel (10). A functional Ca_(v) or Na_(v) composed of only 6 transmembrane domains has never been effected despite several attempts to artcially divide the large 4-repeat as subunits into single repeats (11, 12).

Detection of Current

NaChBac was subcloned into an eGFP-containing pTracer-CMV2 vector (Invitrogen) for expression into CHO-K1 and COS-7 cells. DNA was transfected using LT2 (PanVera), plated onto coverslips, and recordings made 24-48 hrs later. Unless otherwise stated, the pipette solution contained (in mM); 147 Cs, 120 methane-sulfonate, 8 NaCl, 10 EGTA, 2 Mg-ATP, 20 HEPES (pH 7.4). Bath solution contained (in mM); 130 NaCl, 10 CaCl₂, 5 KC1, 20 HEPES and 10 glucose (pH 7.4). All experiments were conducted at 22° C.±2° C. Unless otherwise indicated, all chemicals were dissolved in water. Nifedipine (dissolved in DMSO), ω-Agatoxin IVA, ω-Conotoxin GVIA, and (±)Bay K 8644 (dissolved in ethanol were purchased from Alomone Labs. Tetrodotoxin was from Sigma. When water was not the solvent, the final concentration of the solvents was less than 1% and did not affect the channel activity. Unknown agents, presumably leached from perfusion tubing, caused fast inactivation and these perfusion systems were subsequently avoided.

We transfected NaChBac into CHO-K1 or COS-7 cells and recorded whole-cell current 24-48 hrs after transfection. NaChBac-transfected cells displayed robust large (˜1000 to >10,000 pA) voltage-activated inward current (FIG. 2A). This large current is unlike the native CHO small (50 pA), fast inactivating, TTX-sensitive current (13) present in up to 20% of cells. Similar currents were not recorded in nontransfected or mock-transfected CHO-K1 or COS-7 cells. I_(NaChBAc) reversed at +70 mV, close to the Nernst potential of Na⁺ (E_(Na)=+72 mV). I_(NaChBAc) activated relatively slowly (τ=12.9±0.4 ms at −10 mV, n=32) compared to Na_(v) channels (τ<2 ms). Inactivation was also slow (τ=166±13 ms at −10 mV, n=32) compared to the typically fast inactivating Na_(v) current (τ<10 ms. (1)).

Voltage-Dependent Activation

Voltage-dependent activation was evaluated by measuring the deactivation tail current (FIG. 2B). A Boltzmann fit of the averaged curve yielded at V_(1/2) of 24 mV. Steady-state inactivation of the channel was determined by a sequential depolarization to test voltages followed by clamp to the peak of activation at −10 mV. Steady state inactivation was a steep function of voltage, with 50% inactivation at −-40 mV (FIG. 2B). The channel recovered slowly from inactivation (FIG. 2C), with 50% recovery by 660 ms and 90% recovery by 5.5 seconds (−100 mV).

Channel Properties

The single channel properties of NaChBac were studied in the inside-out patch configuration. Solutions were the same as used in whole-cell recording except that the pipette and bath solutions were reversed. The unitary single channel conductance was best fit with a slope of 12 pS±1 pS (n=7 cells). Consistent with the whole-cell current, single channels were activated by depolarization and both open and closed times varied as a function of voltage (not shown). An ensemble average of single channel currents from 5 cells resembled whole cell I_(NaChBac) with τ_(act)=10±3.5 ms and τ_(inact)=203±43 ms (FIG. 2D).

Cation replacement with NMDG resulted in the complete removal of voltage-dependent inward current (FIG. 3A), suggesting that NaChBac was impermeant to anions. The internal pipette solution used in determining the relative permeability of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contained (in mM) 133 Cs-methanesulfonate, 5 CsCl, 10 EGTA, 10 HEPES (pH adjust to 7.2 with CsOH). External solution for K⁺ permeability experiments contained 142 KCl, 10 HEPES, 10 glucose (pH 7.3 adjusted with KOH). External solution for Ca⁺ permeability determinations contained 105 CaCl₂, 10 HEPES, 20 glucose (pH 7.3, adjusted with Ca(OH₂). The external solution used to study Ma⁺ permeability contained (in mM): 140 NaCl, 5CsCl, 10 HEPES, 10 glucose (pH 7.3, adjusted with NaOH). Intemal solutions were the same as described in the Detection of Current example. The relative permeability of Cs⁺ versus Na⁺ was calculated according to: P_(cs)/P_(Na)=([Na]_(o−)[Na]_(i)exp(E_(rev)F/RT)/([Cs]_(i)exp(E_(rev)/RT)/([Cs]_(o))   (1)

The relative permeabilities of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ were evaluated under bi-ionic conditions, and the relative permeability of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ to Cs+was calculated according to the following equations: P_(k)/Pc_(s)=[Cs]_(i)exp(E_(rev)F/RT)/[K]_(o)   (2) P_(Ca)/Pc_(s)=([Cs]_(i)exp(E_(rev)F/RT){exp(E_(rev)R/RT)+1}/4[Ca]_(o))   (3)

I_(NaChBac) was weakly permeant to Ca²⁺; no significant difference in current was observed by sequential perfusion with bath solution containing 1 and 10 mM [Ca²⁺]_(o) (FIG. 3B ). In isotonic [Ca²⁺]_(o) (cations replaced with 105 mM Ca²), in the inward current was <6% of that in normal [Na⁺] (7.6±0.9 pA/pF at −10 mV, n=8; FIG. 3B). In contrast, I_(NaChBac), amplitude correlated well with [Na⁺]_(o) (FIG. 3C, D). To estimate the E_(rev) of I_(NaChBac), deactivation tail currents were measured according to the protocol shown in FIG. 3E. Measured reversal potentials plotted as a function of [Na⁺]_(o) had a slope of 57.8 mV/decade, close to the 58 mV/decade slope predicted for a Na⁺-selective pore (FIG. 3F). To estimate the relative ion selectivity of the channel, we measured changes in reversal potential while changing ionic composition. The calculated relative selectivity (±SEM) of NaChBac based on measured E_(rev) was: P_(Na)/P_(Ca)=72±10 (n=12); P_(Na)/P_(Cs)=383±56 (n=8); P_(Na)/P_(K)=171±16 (n=8). I_(NaCahBac) selectivity for Na⁺ is at least as high as traditional Na_(v) channels (1, 14).

The pharmacological sensitivity of I_(NaChBac) to known Na_(v) and Ca_(v) blockers most closely resembles L type Ca_(v) channels. Cd²⁺ (100 μM; FIG. 4A). Co²⁺ (1 mM, and La³⁺ (1 mM) all reduced the channel current to various degrees (FIG. 4F). I_(NaChBac) was most sensitive to dihydropyridines (nifedipine and nimodipine; FIG. 4C, D, G) with IC50s of 2.2 μM and 1 μM, respectively (FIG. 4G). The dose response curves to dihydropyridines is comparable to that of mammalian Ca_(vs) (15). I_(NaChBac) was relatively insensitive to the T type Ca_(v) channel antagonists, mibefradil (IC50=22 μM) and Ni²⁺ (IC50=720 μM, FIG. 4B, D, G). The Ca_(v) N type blocker, ω-Conotoxin GVIA, and the Ca_(v) P/Q blocker, ω-Agatoxin IVA, were ineffective even at concentrations (3 μM and 500 nM respectively) well above those used to block their respective targets (FIG. 4F). The channel was completely insensitive to the Na⁺ channel blocker, tetrodotoxin (TTX; up to 30 μM; FIG. 4E, F).

I_(NaChBaC)'s sensitivity to dihydropyridines is not obvious from a sequence comparison to the known sites for Ca_(v) dihydropyridine sensitivity (16-18). Not surprisingly, the residues involved in Na_(v) TTX binding (19-22) do not match identically to residues in NaChBac.

NaChBac encodes a 6 TM domain, dihydropyridine-sensitive, TTX-insensitive Na⁺ selective current. NaChBac is the first bacterial voltage-gated channel characterized in detail in an intact biological membrane. I_(NaChBac) differs from taditional 24TM Na_(v) eukaryotic channels in its slower (roughly 10 fold) activation, inactivation, and recovery from inactivation. The slow inactivation kinetics are similar to that of mammalian persistent sodium current I_(NaP). I_(NaP) currents have been recorded from mammalian. central and peripheral nerve system neurons and are believed to play important roles in neuronal finction ((23) for review). A noninactivating, TTX-insensitive voltage-gated Na⁺ channel current has been recorded from mammalian dorsal ganglion neurons, but its sensitivity to dihydropyridines is not known (24). A novel class of NaChBac-related mammalian homologs, including CatSper, are reasonable candidates for some persistent Na⁺ currents.

EXAMPLE 2

Materials and Methods

Expression of Wild-type and Mutant NaChBac

NaChBac was cloned from Bacillus halodurans C-125 DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR; BAB05220) (Ren, Navarro et al. 2001). The NaChBac construct containing an open reading frame of 274 amino acid residues was subcloned into a pTracer-CMV2 vector (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) containing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). The skeletal muscle Na⁺ channel SKM1 (M26643) was used in comparison to NaChBac under identical recording conditions and determinations of permeability ratios. Mutations were introduced into the NaChBac cDNA by site-directed mutagenesis (Quickchange™ site-directed mutagenesis kit; Stratagene; La Jolla, Calif.). All mutations were confirmed by DNA sequencing and restriction digestion. Wild-type NaChBac and mutant cDNAs were transfected into CHO-K1 cells or COS-7 cells with LipofectAMINE 2000 (Life Technologies, Rockville, Md.). Transfected cells were identified by fluorescence microscopy and membrane currents were recorded 24 to 48 hours after tansfection.

Electrophysiology and Data Analysis

Unless otherwise stated, the pipette solution contained (in mM); 147 Cs, 120 methanesulfonate, 8 NaCl, 10 EGTA, 2 Mg²+-adenosine triphosphate, and 20 HEPES (pH 7.4). Bath solution contained (in mM); 140 NaCl, 10 CaCl₂, 5 KCl, 10 HEPES (pH 7.4), and 10 glucose. For some experiments, NaCl was isotonically replaced by CaCl₂.

For reversal potential measurements to determine the relative permeabilities of Na⁺ and Ca²⁺, the internal pipette solution contained (in mM): 100 mM Na-Gluconate, 10 NaCl, 10 EGTA, 20 HEPES-Na (pH 7.4 adjusted with NaOH, [Na⁺]_(total)=140). The external solution was (in mM): 140 NMDG-Cl, 10 CaCl₂, 20 HEPES (pH 7.4 adjusted with HCl) or 80 NMDG-Cl, 50 CaCl₂, and 20 HEPES. The fast kinetics and small current amplitude of SKM1 in 10 mM [Ca²⁺]_(o) necessitated the use of 50 mM [Ca²⁺]_(o) for accurate determination of E_(rev) . The permeability ratio of Ca₂₊ was estimated according to the following equation: P _(Ca) /P _(x) =a _(si)(exp(E _(rev) F/RT)[(exp(E _(rev) F/RT)+1]/(4a _(se)) where R, T, F, and E_(rev) are the gas constant, absolute temperature, Faraday constant, and reversal potential, respectively, and x represents Cs⁺ or Na⁺ (i, internal; e, external) (Hille 2001). For calculations of membrane permeability, activity coefficients for Ca²⁺, Cs⁺ and Na⁺ were estimated as follows: a _(s)=γ_(s) [X _(s)] where activity, a_(s), is the effective concentration of an ion in solution, s related to the nominal concentration [X_(s)] by the activity coefficient, γ_(s)·γ_(s) was calculated from the Debye-Hückel equation: log γ_(s)=−0.51*z _(s) ²{square root}μ[1+3.8α_(σ){square root}μ] where μ is the ionic strength of the solution, z_(s) is the charge on the ion, and α_(s) is the effective diameter of the hydrated ion in nanometers (nm). The calculated activity coefficients were γ_((Cs)i)=0.70, γ_((Ca)e)=0.331, γ_((Na)i)=0.75 and γ_((Na)e)=0.73. The liquid junction potentials were measured using a salt bridge as described by Neher (Neher 1992) and these measurements agreed within 3 mV to those calculated by the JPCalc program (P. Barry) within Clampex (Axon Instruments, Union City, Calif.).

The voltage dependence of NaChBac and mutants channel activation was determined from a holding potential of −100 mV. Instantaneous tail current were measured at −100 mV after a test potential of 40 ms duration. Normalized tail current amplitude was plotted vs. test potentials and fitted with a Boltzmann function. Measurements of steady state inactivation for NaChBac and mutants channel were resolved using 2 s prepulses and 1 s test pulse to −10 mV, 0 mV or +20 mV depending on the mutant's peak voltage. Cells were held at −100 mV for 20 s between pulses to allow the recovery from inactivation. Normalized test current amplitude was plotted vs. prepulse potential and fitted with a Boltzmann function. The activation and steady state inactivation curve were fitted by the Boltzmann equation: I=I _(max)−(I _(max) −I _(min))/(1+exp((V−V _(1/2))/k)) where I_(max) and _(min)are the maximum and minimum current values, V is the test voltage, V_(1/2) is the voltage activation midpoint and k is the slope factor.

Whole-cell currents were recorded using an Axopatch 200B (Axon Instruments, Union City, Calif.) amplifier. Data were digitieed at 10 or 20 kHz, and digitally filtered off-line at 1 kHz. Patch electrodes were pulled from borosilicate glass and had resistances of 2-5 MΩ. All experiments were conducted at 22°±2° C. For CHO cells, cell capacitance was 7.6±0.3 pF and for COS-7 cells was 13.9±0.6 pF. Mutant NaChBac current amplitudes ranged from ˜100-800 pA For wt NaChBac, current amplitudes ranged 800 pA to 2 nA. Series resistance (R_(s)) was compensated up to 90% to reduce all series resistance errors to <5 mV. Cells in which R_(s) was >10 mΩ were discarded. Pooled data are presented as means ±SEM. Statistical comparisons were made using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and two-tailed t-test with Bonferroni correction; P <0.05 indicated statistical significance.

Results

The mutations of the NaChBac pore region described in this study are summarized in FIG. 5. The six relevant pore amino acids in NaChBac are LESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 6) (residues 190-195), and mutants are specified with respect to this nomenclature.

Expression Levels of wt and Mutant NaChBac

The wt NaChBac currents and I-V curve were similar to those previously reported in CHO-K1 cells (Ren, Navarro et al. 2001), but 4 to 6 times larger in COS-7 cells (FIG. 6A). Current densities of the LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8), LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9), LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10), LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7), and especially LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10) mutants were smaller than that of wt NaChBac (24-48 hours after transfection). More than 98% of wt NaChBac-GFP expressing cells had substantial currents, whereas only 30% to 50% LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8)-, LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9)-, LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10)- or LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7)—GFP transfected cells produced detectable currents. The LEGWAS (SEQ ID NO: 11) mutant current was essentially the same as wt NaChBac and is not further described. GESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 12), GEAWAS (SEQ ID NO: 13), LKSWAS (SEQ ID NO: 14) and LASWAS (SEQ ID NO:15) mutant currents were not measurable.

Kietics of the NaChBac Mutant Channels

The averaged current density-voltage relations (I-V relations) are shown in (FIG. 6B). LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9), LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10) and LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) mutant currents peaked at 0 mV while the LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant peaked at +10 mV. FIG. 6C and Table 1 summarizes the activation, inactivation, and slope factor for the most interesting NaChBac mutants. The 50% steady state inactivation (V_(1/2)-inact) of LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8), LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9), and LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) were similar to those of wt NaChBac, while the midpoints of their activation curves were shifted 19, 22, and 26 mV, respectively, in the positive direction. The difference in the midpoint voltage (V_(1/2)) and slope factor (k) activation of wt NaChBac and the mutants suggests that introduction of aspartate into the pore region altered the gating function of the channel. The activation and inactivation kinetics of these mutants are similar to that of wt NaChBac with the exception of the LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant, which inactivated 2.7 times more rapidly than wt NaChBac (p<0.05).

Selectivity of the NaChBac Mutant Channels

Reversal potentials of the NaChBac mutants were measured under bi-ionic conditions as described in the Methods. FIG. 7A shows representative currents of wt NaChBac, LEGWAS (SEQ ID NO: 11), LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9), LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10) and LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) mutants recorded in 10 mM Ca²⁺ (modified Tyrode's) solution and isotonic (105 mM) Ca²⁺ solution. NaChBac (wt) and LEGWAS (SEQ ID NO: 11) currents were practically undetectable after replacement of the 140 mM Na⁺/10 mM Ca²⁺-containing solution by the 0 mM Na⁺/105 mM Ca²⁺ solution, indicating the low Ca²⁺ permeability of these channels. Current amplitudes of the LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10) and LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) mutants were significantly increased when the external solution was changed to isotonic Ca²⁺ solution while the amplitude of LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9) mutant currents was not significantly increased. The LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant current was dramatically decreased in isotonic [Ca²⁺]_(o). The average peak current amplitude measured at 0 mV obtained in 10 mM Ca²⁺ Tyrode's solution or in 105 mM Ca²⁺ solution is shown in FIG. 7B and normalized to the current amplitude measured in 10 mM Ca²⁺ solution (FIG. 7C).

Relative permeability (P_(Ca)/P_(Na)) was calculated as described in the Methods and Table 1. Since P_(Ca)/P_(Na) had not been described for native Na_(v) channels under these specific conditions, we also measured the relative permeability for SKM1, a skeletal muscle Na⁺-selective channel (SKM1; Kraner, Rich et al. 1998) was expressed in COS and CHO cells and examined under identical conditions as NaChBac and similar to its mutants; Table 1). For NaChBac, substitution of serine (192) by glycine (LEGWAS (SEQ ID NO: 11)) did not change NaChBac's relative permeability (LESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 14): P_(Ca)/P_(Na)=0.15. Replacement of the serine at position 195 by aspartate (D195S; LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8)) converted the normally Na⁺-selective wt NaChBac (P_(Ca)/P_(Na)0.15) into a relatively non-selective cation channel (P_(Ca)/P_(Na)=17).

As uncharged amino acids were replaced by an increasing number of negatively charged aspartates, Ca²⁺ selectivity dramatically increased. Replacing the serine at position 192 by aspartate (D192S; LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9)) increased wt NaChBac's Ca²⁺ selectivity over Na⁺by 233-fold (P_(Ca)/P_(Na)35). Although the current amplitude was reduced, substitution of serines 192 and 195 by aspartate (LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10)) increased Ca²⁺ selectivity by 486-fold (P_(Ca)P_(Na)=73). Further substitution by the negatively charged aspartate into position 195 (LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7); denoted CaChBac.) yielded the highest Ca²⁺ permeability (P_(Ca)/P_(Na)=133), with a much larger current amplitude (500 to 1000 pA) in 10 mM Ca²⁺ solution. As shown in FIG. 8A, the current amplitude of CaChBac_(m) in 10 mM Ca²⁺ solution was virtually identical to that obtained in 10 mM Ca²⁺/NMDG solution, suggesting that CaChBac_(m)'s conductance was not permeant to, nor affected by, [Na⁺]_(o). In comparison, the wt LESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 14) current was almost undetectable in 10 mM Ca²⁺/NMDG solution (FIG. 8B), consistent with it being a relatively selective Na⁺ channel.

The Anomalous Mole Fraction Effect

Ca²⁺-selective channels exhibit a concentration-dependent permeability ratio, called the anomalous mole fraction effect. This effect is thought to be a consequence of the Ca²⁺ channel's capacity to hold two or more divalent ions in the pore at the same time, and is usually interpreted to mean that ions interact within the pore. CaChBac_(m)'s (LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7)) conductance increased with increasing external [Ca²⁺]_(o) and its conductance to Na⁺ increased when [Ca²⁺]_(o) was decreased to 10 μM FIG. 9A). Presumably at low [Ca²⁺]_(o), the pore binding site for Ca²⁺ is no longer occupied and Na⁺is less impeded in its transit through the pore. The normalized current amplitude plotted as a function of [Ca²⁺]_(o) (FIG. 9B) is typical of anomalous mole fraction behavior.

CaChBac_(m) is a Calcium-selective Channel.

CaChBac_(m)'s (LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7)) channel conductance increased and the reversal potentials shifted to more positive potentials as [Ca²⁺]_(o) was increased from 1 to 10 to 105 mM (FIG. 9C). A plot of reversal potentials against log[Ca²⁺]_(o) was best fit by a linear regression slope of 25.6±3.2 mV/decade (mean±SEM, n=8) close to that predicted by the Nernst equation for a Ca²⁺-selective electrode (29 mV/decade; FIG. 9D)). CaChBac_(m) (LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7)) is thus a Ca²⁺-selective channel.

Interestingly, the LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant that displayed a decreased permeability to Na⁺ compared to wt NaChBac, was blocked by [Ca²⁺ ]_(o). FIG. 10A shows LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) currents recorded at 1 μM, 1 mM, 10 mM (in 130 mM [Na⁺]_(o)), and 105 mM [Ca²⁺]_(o). The LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) mutant permeable to both Na⁺and Ca²⁺ , were largest in 10 μM Ca²⁺ solution and smallest in 105 mM [Ca²⁺]. The mean I-V relations of LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) under various [Ca²⁺]_(o) are shown in FIG. 10B.

We have used the simple 274 amino acid bacterial voltage-gated Na⁺-selective channel to explore the mechanism of Nat and Ca⁺selective permeation. This opportunity is fairly unique since no other voltage-gated ion-selective bacterial channel has been functionally expressed in mammalian systems and there are no known mammalian voltage-gated Ca²⁺ or Na⁺-selective channels with the single repeat structure. Together with the wild-type NaChBac, the mutants described here suggest that voltage-gated Na-selective, Ca²⁺-selective, and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ permeable cation channels can all be formed with the polypeptides of single repeat of the 6 transmembrane-domain (6TM). The single-repeat 6 TM structure is shared by voltage-gated potassium channels, TRP channels, and cyclic-nucleotide-gated channels. Voltage-gated Na⁺ or Ca²⁺ channels with this single-repeat structure have not been discovered in cells other than bacteria, but the recently reported mammalian sperm ion channels (Quill, et al. 2001; Ren, et al. 2001) may be candidates for the functional homologs of the bacterial channel.

Our experiments show that mutation of amino acid residues in the pore domain can be mutated to make the channel cation nonselective, or even highly Ca²⁺-selective. The most illuminating mutations of the pore region occurred in the region between residues 190 and 195 amino acids of wild type NaChBac (LESWAS (SEQ ID NO: 14)). We found a correlation between increasing numbers of negatively charged aspartic acid substitutions within the domain and increasing Ca²⁺ selectivity. The mutants denoted LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8), LEDWAS (SEQ ID NO: 9), LEDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 10) and LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) displayed increasing selectivity for Ca²⁺, with LESWAD (SEQ ID NO: 8) having the lowest and LDDWAD (SEQ ID NO: 7) the highest Ca²⁺ selectivity.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

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1. A purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel comprising a 6 transmembrane domain.
 2. A purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, a homolog thereof, or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore.
 3. The channel of claim 2, having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, a homolog thereof, or a fragment thereof.
 4. An isolated nucleic acid encoding the channel of claims 1-3.
 5. A fusion protein comprising the ion-channel of claims 1-3 and a mammalian ion-channel pore-containig region.
 6. An isolated nucleic acid encoding the fusion protein of claim
 6. 7. A host cell transformed with the nucleic acid of claim 5 or
 6. 8. A system for screening ion-channel agonists or antagonists, said system comprising a host cell comprising a nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein comprising a purified and isolated bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore and a mammalian ion channel pore-containing region.
 9. A method of identifying a modulator of biological activity of an ion channel, said method comprising the steps of: a) expressing in a host cell a fusion protein comprising a mammalian ion-channel pore-containing region and a bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a homolog thereof, or a fragment thereof capable of forming an ion-channel pore; b) contacting said host cell with a candidate modulator; and c) measuring the effect of the modulator on the ion-channel activity.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the modulator is an antagonist.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the modulator is an agonist.
 12. A modulator identified using the method of claim
 9. 13. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a modulator identified in the method of claim
 9. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the ion-channel activity is determined by an assay.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the assay is selected from the group comprising high throughput screening assays, electrophysiological assays, fluorsscence assays, and binding assays.
 16. A method of identifying a modulator of biological activity of a bacterial ion channel, said method comprising the steps of: a) expressing in a host cell a bacterial voltage-sensitive ion-selective channel having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a homolog thereof, or a fagment thereof capable of forming an ion- channel pore; b) contacting said host cell with a candidate modulator; and c) measuring the effect of the modulator on the ion-channel activity. 